The present invention relates generally to managing energy consumption of home energy consuming devices through an energy demand controller.
Just about all homes employ energy consuming appliances and other devices. Although each appliance in a home usually is operated independently from one another, each draws energy from the home energy distribution system. In turn, each home draws energy from the energy distribution system of an energy provider. During certain times of the day, such as morning or early evening, the draw on the energy provider energy distribution system is so great that the energy provider either brings on line additional power plants or buys additional power from other suppliers. This peak energy demand creates additional costs for the energy provider. The energy provider passes these additional costs onto each consumer.
The increased cost has several causes. The energy supplier must build, manage, supply and maintain facilities capable of producing and handling the maximum amount of power required during peak times. This includes additional production facilities that are idle during non-peak times and therefore decrease both the dollar and energy efficiency of the overall system. Furthermore, since some of these facilities need rapid startup to avoid brown out conditions, they may be of a type that is less efficient than other facilities even while operating at peak capacity. Additionally, all components of the energy delivery system, including wires and transformers must be capable of handling the peak load and therefore are more expensive and less efficient than they would be if the peak load were closer to the average load they experience.
Energy providers, appliance manufacturers, consumers, and the government each desire to reduce peak power demands and save energy and cost. For example, some energy providers provide cost savings incentives for consumers who volunteer not to run their appliances during peak energy demand. Most appliance manufacturers work towards producing more efficient appliances. Consumers may elect not to run their dishwasher, clothes washer, or clothes dryer in the morning or early evening. The government enacts laws to regulate the behavior of energy providers, appliance manufacturers, and consumers.
Conventionally, the decision on how to save energy has largely remained in the hands of energy providers, appliance manufacturers, and the government. A main reason for this is that consumers lack detailed control over the management of their collective home energy use. A secondary reason for this is that energy providers and others have no way of receiving control from the homes of individual customers over the energy demand from the homes of individual customers.
The traditional response to this problem, building more production capacity, operating less efficient peak plants at time of peak demand, and building an energy distribution infrastructure capable of handling the increasing peak demand is costly, not only in terms of pollution and consumption of non-renewable resources, but also in terms of allocation of monetary resources and land. Time of use pricing and setback programs are only as effective as the ability of consumers of energy to respond and brown outs and mandatory curtailments during peak times can be draconian and economically devastating on businesses affected.
However, it has been demonstrated that when consumers are provided with information and incentives to reduce energy consumption, some will modify their appliance purchasing behavior as well as their energy usage behavior. Energy pricing and curtailment programs encourage voluntary demand side management, but the consumer needs more tools to take advantage of such programs.
What is needed is an energy management system that encourages and facilitates energy and cost efficiency by providing a home owner with more information and control over energy savings.